Service May Keep Ronen From Serving

The Ucf Tennis Player Has Been Told To Report To The Israeli Defense Forces By April 14.

April 2, 1997|By Jerry Greene of The Sentinel Staff

Beating the opposition on the tennis courts for the University of Central Florida is the least of her worries for freshman Hadas Ronen of Israel. Her biggest challenge is the conflict between her love of her game and her military obligation to her homeland.

In Israel, all single women are expected to spend 18 months as active members of its Defense Forces after their 18th birthday. Ronen, 19, came to UCF last fall believing she had a deferment until after her college education was complete.

Something has gone wrong.

Ronen has been notified that she is expected to report for military induction in Israel on April 14. UCF still will be competing in the Trans America Athletic Conference Championship Tournament on April 12 - and could qualify for the NCAA Tournament after that. Ronen could be wielding something other than a tennis racket by then.

''Please understand, I love my country,'' she said, ''and I want to serve my country. But I would like to get my education and play tennis first.''

Ronen said she came to America with the understanding she would be allowed to get her four-year degree before joining the military.

''I have seen a lot of players go into the army and never return to tennis,'' Ronen said.

Ronen knows the situation well. Her twin sister, Tammy, is serving with the IDF now and will finish with active duty in August.

What she doesn't know is if the IDF will agree that she can wait or what will happen if she is late returning to Israel without permission.

''If I'm a month late, I don't think they will put me in jail,'' she said hesitantly. ''And I want to go home when school is out. I want to see my family.''

Her family has a lawyer working on her behalf in Israel, while she has written letters to the Israel Consultant General's office in Miami.

A spokeswoman at that office, who would identify herself only as Drora, said no one there would speak to the press about Ronen's situation. Drora did say: ''There's no one answer. The answer for her must come from the military.''

According to the Israel Foreign Ministry's Information Division in Jerusalem: ''All eligible men and women are drafted at age 18. Men serve for three years, women for 18 months. Deferments may be granted to qualified students at institutions of higher education.''

Ronen is a qualified student, making the Athletic Director's Honor Roll in the fall. And, although it might not matter to the IDF, she's an outstanding tennis player, too.

''We wrote a letter in her behalf last week,'' Athletic Director Steve Sloan said. ''She's a fine student and athlete, so we all hope she can stay.''

Ronen has a 22-1 record for the Golden Knights, playing most of her matches at No. 3 singles. Her only loss was in the fall in her second match - and that was against teammate and doubles partner Itzel Soto-Rosa in an individual tournament.

Her record is the best of all the Knights and a reason why they are ranked 45th in the country.

They flew to New Orleans on Tuesday to play their final four regular-season matches in four days. They face Tulane today, the University of New Orleans on Thursday, Nicholls State in Thibodaux, La., on Friday, and Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond on Saturday.

The TAAC Tournament begins April 10 in Macon, Ga., and Ronen could be a key to victory playing No. 3 singles and as part of No. 2 doubles with Soto-Rosa.

''She's too good to be playing No. 3,'' UCF coach Gail Falkenberg said. ''I can't move her up, however, because the two girls above her (No. 1 Maria V. Widyarharma and No. 2 Rachna Ashar) have earned their positions.''

If the IDF does not extend her deferment, she has a difficult decision with few options.

There is one option she has reluctantly considered: marriage. The mandatory active military duty is waived for a married woman.

''Yes, getting married on paper only. It happens,'' Ronen said sadly. ''But I don't think I would do that. I don't want a proposal, just a postponement.''